Motorcyclists Ride Through North-South Border

By

Jeyup S. Kwaak

Sep 3, 2013 6:21 pm KST

A group of five New Zealanders crossed over from North Korea into the South on motorcycles late last week, possibly becoming the first foreign tourists ever to have crossed the border since the foundation of the two Koreas 65 years ago.

Reuters

The border drawn during the 1953 armistice is the most heavily-militarized in the world, and the crossing of what is technically still a war zone has been off-limits for foreigners. Those hoping to visit both countries in tandem have had to travel either via Japan or China. Koreans wanting to cross the border must have approval from both governments.

It took almost six years of discussions with North Korean authorities before they finally agreed to let the team travel through the country, says Gareth Morgan, who is leading the team of motorcyclists on a 40,000-kilometer journey from east Russia to New Zealand.